This chapter shall be enforced by the Building Inspector, who shall be appointed by the Board of Trustees.[1] Whenever the Board of Trustees or the Building Inspector have reason to believe that an owner is violating any of the provisions of this chapter, the Building Inspector or the Village Police, as the Board of Trustees may direct, in discharge of his or its duties, shall have the authority to enter the building or premises of such owner at any reasonable hour.

The Board of Trustees may, at its discretion, also appoint Deputy Building Inspectors as necessary.

Among the duties of the Building Inspector shall be his review of all applications for permits, periodic inspections of site work and construction, final review for both Certificates of Occupancy and Certificates of Completion and inspections of any activities which are deemed to violate the provisions of this chapter. Prior to the issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy or Certificate of Completion, the Building Inspector, or Deputy Building Inspector, will verify and confirm the total square footage and take appropriate photographs of the residence for property data files.

No building or structure shall be erected, altered, demolished or enlarged unless the owner, lessee or agent of either shall file with the Building Inspector, prior to the commencement of such proposed construction or demolition, a statement in triplicate, as set forth below, and such plans and structural detailed drawings of the proposed work as may be reasonably necessary to determine compliance with the provisions of this chapter.

Plans involving structures or structural changes shall require the seal and signature of a New York State registered architect or professional engineer. The Board of Trustees may waive the requirements of this subsection for projects whose total value does not exceed $10,000.

It shall be unlawful to construct or demolish any building or structure until the application and plans required by the Village Code shall have been approved by all appropriate Village boards and a permit issued by the Building Inspector, or such administrative official as the Board of Trustees may appoint, provided that the application and plans comply with all applicable laws, ordinances, codes, rules and regulations.

An approved copy of the plans and specifications must be kept at the premises under construction until a Certificate of Occupancy therefor is issued.

Any permit issued by the Building Inspector under the provisions of this article, but under which no structural work is commenced within one year from the time of issuance, shall expire by limitation.[1]

Except as noted in Subsection A, permits shall be valid for a period of 18 months from their issuance, after which up to two six-month renewals shall be granted by the Building Inspector, upon the filing of an application therefor, payment in full of all application and escrow fees/replenishments outstanding, and posting of all required and up-to-date bonding and/or other security. In no case shall a permit be valid for more than 30 continuous months. Any work for which a building permit has been issued which remains less than fully complete after the expiration of the aforementioned thirty-month period shall be required to submit a new application to each reviewing board having granted the prior approval upon which the initial Building Permit was based, and to pay all associated new application fees and escrow monies. Said board(s) shall review the application to ensure that there have been no significant changes to the surrounding area that may impact the project, and to ensure compliance with the prior approval. After all such new approvals have been granted; a new building permit may be issued by the Building Inspector in accordance with this chapter.

Any work for which a building permit has been issued which remains partially complete with no substantial progress over a continuous twelve-month period shall be considered an abandoned project, upon which event the building permit may be revoked, and which in any event shall be a violation of this chapter.

It shall be unlawful to use or permit the use of any building or premises or part thereof hereafter erected, altered, converted or enlarged, wholly or partly, in its use or structure until a Certificate of Occupancy or a Certificate of Completion therefor shall have been issued by the Building Inspector to the owner of record. Such certificate shall certify that the said building, structure or premises or part thereof and the proposed uses thereof are in conformity with the provisions of this chapter and the New York State Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code and shall be in such form as the Board of Trustees of the Village shall authorize. It shall be the duty of the Building Inspector to inspect the premises and to verify completion according to approved plans and to issue or deny a Certificate of Occupancy within 20 days after a written request for the same shall be filed at the office of the Clerk by any owner of a building or premises. Such inspection for a Certificate of Occupancy shall be performed at least each time the property changes ownership.

Upon written request from the owner, the Board of Trustees shall issue a Certificate of Occupancy for any building or premises existing at the time of passage of this chapter, certifying, after inspection, the use made of the building or premises and whether such use conforms to the provisions of all applicable state and Village laws.

No Certificate of Occupancy is required as to any building in existence at the date of this chapter, even though such building does not conform to this chapter either as to the lot area or yard requirements, percentage of lot occupied or minimum floor areas, except where a change of use or conversion occurs.

It is unlawful to voluntarily sell, transfer or convey title to any building or structure on and after the effective date of the adoption of this chapter until a Certificate of Occupancy therefor shall have been issued by the Building Inspector. Such Certificate shall certify that such building or structure and the proposed use thereof are in conformity with the provisions of all applicable state and Village laws. Prior to the issuance of such Certificate, the Building Inspector shall inspect such building or structure. Any person to whom any such building or structure is to be sold, transferred or conveyed may request the Building Inspector to inspect the same and to issue a Certificate of Occupancy in advance of the sale, transfer or conveyance.

No Certificate of Occupancy shall be issued hereunder until, among other things, all debris and construction materials and equipment are removed from the premises and all driveways are completed and usable.

Structures such as pools, antennas, driveways, courts, cabanas, walls, etc., which are not to be occupied, shall also require inspection by the Building Inspector to verify completion according to approved plans. If acceptable to the Building Inspector and Board of Trustees, a Certificate of Compliance shall issue, after which the structure may be placed in service.

A fee shall be required from the latest owner of record to cover the costs of inspection and issuance of both Certificates of Occupancy and Certificates of Compliance.

The Board of Trustees shall, from time to time, adopt by resolution and publish a schedule of fees for permits, inspections, appeals, subdivisions, environmental review and the like.[1] These may be flat fees, graduated fees or fees based on actual cost of construction. The Village Clerk shall maintain a current fee schedule and be responsible for collecting the appropriate sums.

Such fees shall include and monies held in escrow shall be held to pay the reasonable and necessary fees and expenses of the consultants (including attorneys, engineers, planners, environmental consultants and other professionals) to the Planning Board, Board of Architectural Review, Board of Zoning Appeals, Building Inspector and Board of Trustees resulting from their review of an applicant's request for approval of any municipal approval including subdivisions, lot line changes, site plans, architectural approvals, special permits, variances, interpretations, appeals to the Board of Zoning Appeals, review during construction as deemed necessary by the Building Inspector and the like, and any modification or amendment of the foregoing.

A schedule of standard initial estimates for the reasonable amount of such expected consultant fees and expenses shall be established by the Board of Trustees in the schedule of fees noted in Subsection A above, which may be amended by resolution of the Board of Trustees from time to time. Such initial estimate shall be paid to the Village Clerk by an applicant at the time of the application filing. The amount so paid shall be held in escrow by the Village for application to payment of such consultants' fees and expenses, and replenished by the applicant, in accordance with an escrow policy of the Village that may be adopted and amended from time to time by resolution of the Village Board of Trustees. Such escrow policy shall also set forth conditions of the escrow and the consequences for failure to maintain the proper escrow amount as defined therein.

No plat or plans shall be signed by the respective Village boards, and no building permit or other project permit or certificate shall be issued, until all outstanding invoices for consultant fees and expenses have been paid in full in accordance with escrow policy except as may be otherwise specifically approved by the Board of Trustees.

Any project which encompasses off-site improvements shall require a performance bond, letter of credit or cash security in a form acceptable to the Village and in an amount equal to the total estimated off-site costs plus 20% of those costs.

Any new residence or any project expected to require more than 18 months to complete shall require a performance bond, letter of credit or cash security in a form acceptable to the Village and in an amount equal to 5% of the estimated cost of construction. Proceeds of such bond shall be used to restore or vegetate the site in the event of incompletion or abandonment.